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LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN STUDIES SERIES: WHAT’S LEFT IN LATIN AMERICA?

Citizenship and the Transformative Politics of Latin America Today

Over the past few years, emerging forces have been significantly changing the political landscape in Latin America. Beginning with the election of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela in 1998, a number of politicians commonly associated with the “left” have been elected presidents in their nations: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil, Ernesto Kirchner in Argentina, Tabaré Vázquez in Uruguay, Evo Morales in Bolivia, and Michelle Bachelet in Chile. In the recent June presidential elections in Peru, Ollanta Humala lost to Alan Garcia, but his candidacy became the expression of general dissatisfaction with traditional politics. More than half of Latin America’s 500 million people are now ruled by presidents who claim to be on the left of the political spectrum.

This year-long series revolves around the issues raised by these epochal shifts in Latin American governance. The aim of the LACS “What’s Left?” speaker series is to examine the emerging political movements behind the apparent leftward shift in Latin American politics. Participants will study the genealogies behind the changes in various Latin American countries and the specific conditions that gave rise to them on both the national and international level. A central objective of the project is to establish a dialogue, not only about Latin America, but between Latin America and the U.S. By promoting discussions among outside speakers and University of Michigan regional experts, organizers of the LACS series seek to make the University a center of hemispheric exchanges about these important topics.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Newness, world language, alterity: on Borges’ mark
Alberto Moreiras, Duke University
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Lecture Series: What’s Left in Latin America?
Time: 12:00-2:00 PM
Location: International Institute, Room 1636, School of Social Work Building
Listen (mp3)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

PUBLIC dISCUSSION WITH ALBERTO MOREIRAS
following his September 18 lecture, “Newness, World Language, Alterity: On Borges’ Mark”
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Lecture Series: What’s Left in Latin America?
TIME: 11:00 AM-1:00 PM
LOCATION: Commons of Romance Languages, 4th floor, Modern Languages Building

MONDAY, OCTOBER 2

Coup d’etat: The Anatomy of U.S. Involvement in "Regime Change" in Chile, and Lessons for Venezuela
Peter Kornbluh, Director, Chile Documentation Project
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Lecture Series: What’s Left in Latin America?
Time: 12:00-2:00 PM
Location: International Institute, Room 1636, School of Social Work Building
Listen (mp3)

MONDAY, OCTOBER 9

WHITHER THE LATIN AMERICAN LEFT?
Gred Grandin
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Lecture Series: What’s Left in Latin America?
International Institute Lecture Series: Citizenship at Risk
time: 12:00 pm
location: International Institute, Room 1636, School of Social Work Building
Listen (mp3)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6

Citizenship and coloniality of power in times of crisis -- CANCELLED
Anibal Quijano, Director, Universidad de San Marcos, Lima, Peru
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Lecture Series: What’s Left in Latin America?
International Institute Lecture Series: Citizenship at Risk
Time: 12:00-2:00 PM
Location: International Institute, Room 1636, School of Social Work Building

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10

the discursive construction of the people as a collective actor
Ernesto Laclau, University of Essex; visiting professor, University of Buffalo
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Lecture Series: What’s Left in Latin America?
International Institute Lecture Series: Citizenship at Risk
Time: 12:00 NOON
Location: Kuenzel Room, Michigan Union

MONDAY, DECEMBER 4 -- CANCELLED

LEFTIST OIL POLICIES IN VENEZUELA?
Elie Habalian Dumat
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Lecture Series: What’s Left in Latin America?
Time: 12:00-2:00 PM
Location: International Institute, Room 1636, School of Social Work Building

MONDAY, JANUARY 22

politics, power and institutions
Enrique Dussel
International Institute Lecture Series: Citizenship at Risk
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Lecture Series: What’s Left in Latin America?
Time: 12:00 PM
location: International Institute, Room 1636, School of Social Work Building

MONDAY, JANUARY 29

The Neoconservative Turn in Latin American Literary Criticism
John Beverly
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Lecture Series: What's Left in Latin America
International Institute Lecture Series: Citizenship at Risk
Time: 12:00 PM
location: International Institute, Room 1636, School of Social Work Building

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12

REQUIEM FOR A CHIMERA: THE POETICS OF POST REVOLUTIONARY CUBA
Marta Hernández Salván
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Lecture Series: What’s Left in Latin America?
International Institute Lecture Series: Citizenship at Risk
Time: 12:00 PM
location: International Institute, Room 1636, School of Social Work Building

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

TITLE TBA
Gilberto Gil
Latin American and Caribbean Studies Lecture Series: What's Left in Latin America?
International Institute Lecture Series: Citizenship at Risk
TIME: TBA
LOCATION: TBA